Tight security welcomes Australia in Bangladesh
300 men from elite police units were deployed at the Dhaka airport.
After a lot of talks, controversies and dramas, the Australian team has finally landed in Bangladesh. They were welcomed by strong security when they landed at the capital city Dhaka on Friday. The Bangladeshi police sent 300 men from their elite ranks to prevent the Aussie cricketers from any potential danger when they landed in the Hazrat Shahjahal International Airport at 10:30 in the night.
The baggy greens are to play two Tests with the Tigers. Before locking horns with the home team on August 27 at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, they will be participating in a two-day warm-up match that will commence from August 22. Steve Smith and his team was expected to play a Test series a couple of years ago, but Cricket Australia (CA) decided otherwise, fearing the lack of security in Bangladesh.
But two years later, they have shifted from their standpoint as the Warners and Hazlewoods are in the cricket crazy nation at the moment. “Since the team landed it was given the security as we’ve promised. We are confident everything will go according to our plan,” said Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)’s chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury while speaking to AFP.
Bangladeshi police cleared the roads
It seems as if that the BCB is not willing to compromise on the safety of the Australian star cricketers as the police even cleared the road leading to the hotel in which Smith’s team will be staying. “We’ve adequate security arrangements at the airport. We’ve even cleared the road (leading to the team’s hotel),” said Armed Police Battalion’s Inspector Moslem Uddin.
The last time Australia played a Test match in Bangladesh was way back in 2006 when Ricky Ponting used to lead the side. CA decided to send their team to Bangladesh only after BCB assured them of rock solid security measures. The second Test match will be played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong from 4th September. They will leave for their country on the 9th, that is one day after the scheduled completion of the series.
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